The Battle for Al-Wa’er Intensifies the Violence in Homs

The battle for Al-Wa’er in the Homs Governorate is reaching its critical stages, as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the National Defense Forces (NDF) continue their operations targeting the Al-Nusra Front’s (Jabhat Al-Nusra) positions at the 7th District, intensifying the already violent firefights engulfing this imperative area in western Syria.

Yesterday, militants from the Al-Nusra Front attempted to infiltrate an NDF checkpoint at the Al-Kharaab Bridge (Jissr Al-Kharaab) near the Al-Wa’er Farms; however, their attack was quickly foiled after a wave of airstrikes from the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAF) pounded the enemy combatants that were attempting to breach the NDF’s fortifications at the checkpoint. A total of 19 militants from the Al-Nusra Front were confirmed dead as a result of the ferocious assault by the SAAF.

According to civilian sources in Homs, the Al-Nusra Front has arrested a dozen civilians inside the city of Al-Wa’er for the crime of “cooperating with the enemy.” These civilians allegedly aided the NDF and SAA with food and supplies; this was viewed as an act of “sedition” against the self-proclaimed “Emirates” in Syria. The civilians were taken to an unknown location and have not been heard from since their arrest in Al-Wa’er.